Council to hold pre-consultation on school estate provision

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) is carrying out a pre-consultation and review of its school estate provision across Borders school communities.

Agreement for the plans was given at a meeting of the council’s executive on February 2.

A pre-consultation and information gathering exercise will run from Monday, March 7 to Monday, April 11, to give parents, carers, pupils, staff, community councils, community groups and all other stakeholders the opportunity to give their feedback on the current provision.

They will also be asked for their views as to what school estates provision should aspire to look like in the future.

Drop-in sessions are being held in all local high schools during March, where information will be available about all schools being reviewed.

Staff will also be on hand to discuss the information being provided and to answer any questions.

z Monday, March 14, Berwickshire High, 3-7.30pm

z Tuesday, March 15, Peebles High, 3-7.30pm

z Wednesday, March 16, Eyemouth High, 3-7.30pm

z Thursday, March 17, Hawick High, 3-7.30pm

z Monday, March 21, Galashiels Academy, 3-7.30pm

z Wednesday, March 23, Jedburgh Grammar, 3-7.30pm

z Thursday, March 24, Earlston High, 3-7.30pm

z Monday, March 28, Selkirk High, 3-7.30pm

z Tuesday, March 29, Kelso High, 3-7.30pm

An online questionnaire will be available on the SBC website from March 7 until April 11, at www.scotborders.gov.uk/schoolestate, along with FAQs about the review and copies of the information that will be available for discussion at the drop-in sessions.

The questionnaire will also be available at each of the drop-in sessions. Pupils will be given a questionnaire at school to complete.

Councillor Sandy Aitchison, SBC’s executive member for education, said: “This pre-consultation is vital in terms of providing us with the information we need to be able to make a full and thorough review of our current school estate provision. At this stage there are no fixed plans on the table so what we need is for everyone who makes use of our school facilities to come along to one of the drop-in sessions or go to the council website, read the information that is available there and fill out the online questionnaire.

“Pupils will be given the opportunity at school to fill out a questionnaire although they are also very welcome to attend the drop-in sessions and see the information available about both their school and others across the region.”

All information gathered as part of the pre-consultation will be added to the council’s own assessment of school estate provision and reported to a meeting of council on 19 May, when an update on the next steps to be taken in relation to the review will also be available. A further report is due to presented at council in August.